POWELL: AN OPPORTUNITY LOST

Chris Powell gave his views on today’s 2-0 Sky Bet Championship home defeat to Fulham to htafc.com after the full-time whistle.

“We gave ourselves a mountain to climb after conceding so early. I can’t believe the ball went in; the ball somehow got through three of our players. We should be putting the away team under pressure early on by stretching the play and we had the chance to do that, but instead we end up conceding the corner.

“Kacaniklic has good delivery, but we had three opportunities to cut the ball out and it squirmed in. That gave them something to hold onto.

“We started to climb that mountain gradually as the game wore on and started to create, but their ‘keeper had one of those days where he saved it, clawed it away or got something on it and it didn’t fall for us.

“It was unbelievable. Nahki has hit the post and ‘Butts’ (Jacob Butterfield) the bar – and I haven’t even mentioned the two penalties yet. I don’t think the chaos that preceded the first penalty helps any taker at any level and it certainly didn’t help us, then we win another penalty and we hit the post at the other side.

“We did everything possible – we made positive substitutions – and the game had everything bar a goal for us. It was virtually one-way traffic, but we just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net. They got a breakaway goal in the 96th minute and its game over.

“It’s tough to take, but we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net and you have to do that to win games. We did create; both strikers had chances, as did our midfielders. Our decision-making at times is questionable – we try and score a wonder-goal when we can still move it quickly and get it wide.

“Today is a big opportunity lost for us.”

On Nahki Wells taking the second penalty for Town having seen his first saved, Chris said:

“I know Ishmael asked him about it, but you have to be brave in this game. That doesn’t just mean in the tackle; sometimes you have to play under pressure. That’s what Nahki did today.”

Powell’s team now has a fortnight until its next game at Sheffield Wednesday on 4 April and the Manager is planning to use the break wisely.

He continued: “We can’t keep relying on others to lose or draw games; we have to take care of ourselves and we haven’t been doing that. We’re close, but not close enough with regards to turning these games into wins. If you start and finish games like we have done, we won’t.

“Now we have to get amongst one-another and stay positive. In one way the break may do us good; I hope it does. Hopefully our internationals will return in good shape too.

“I had to take Tommy (Smith) off with a knock and ‘Hoggy’ (Jonathan Hogg) played with a calf knock and did well. We’ll have to rest up, but keep working as hard as we can and prepare for a tough game away at Sheffield Wednesday.”